​GlendaleStar.com
​
Residents packed the auditorium of Glendale’s Main Library early Nov. 11 to celebrate the city’s 17th-annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony. Presented by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, Mayor Jerry Weiers and the city of Glendale, the event drew standing room only and featured speakers from three service branches, flag raisings and retirements, and a missing-man flyover.
Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Turney introduced Mayor Weiers and keynote speakers Chief Master Sergeant Ronald Thompson, 56th Fighter Wing Command Chief, Luke Air Force Base as well as U.S. Navy Commander Mark Moran and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel David Clukey. Rep. Debbie Lesko was also in attendance and addressed District 8 constituents. 

“Today we shine the spotlight on family and our servicemembers,” Weiers said. “This ceremony allows the community to come together and honor those who have served our country.”

“We stand before you on the shoulders of giants,” said Thompson. “Eighty percent of our servicemen and women come from the families of veterans,” Thompson estimated.

 “Family has the toughest job of all,” said Clukey. “Each of us has heard the call of duty and answered it,” Clukey said. “Today we honor every man and woman who ever wore the uniform,” added Moran. “We must remain committed to honoring service,” urged Moran.

Following the keynote addresses, the ceremony continued outside the auditorium to the Glendale Veterans Memorial with a special flag-raising ceremony by the Marine Corps League’s Old Breed Detachment No. 767. A POW/MIA and Arizona state flag were raised beside and below the American flag in the center of the city’s bronze memorial.

While the flag-raising feature is the focus of the annual event, this year the chamber unveiled its mobile U.S. flag retirement incinerator specifically designed to properly lay the American flag to rest. Civil Air Patrol Cadets readied and folded tattered flags and placed them atop of the preloaded incinerator. Mayor Weiers and Wayne Cole lit the air infused unit using flares and within minutes it reached more than 700 degrees.

Cole is an active member of the chamber and its Military & Veterans Affairs Committee. He also designed, built and donated the incinerator to the chamber. The project took nearly two years to complete and will be used routinely to properly dispose of flags gathered from throughout the city.

As smoke began to rise from the incinerator’s chimney, a small group of aircraft was spotted in the distance.  With a smoke-on, low-level flyover, vintage aircraft from the Falcon Warbirds Foundation concluded the celebration departing in the distance in the missing man formation. 

“Veterans Day is an opportunity to realize how vital our freedom is to us and to thank all of the dedicated people who sacrificed so much for us to enjoy living in a free country,” stated Dr. Lily Matos DeBlieux, Glendale Chamber of Commerce Chair. “The Glendale Chamber gives honor to those who served and help us realize how important it is for us to commemorate this holiday each year.” 
​
For more information about the Glendale Chamber of Commerce or its Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, call Aubrie Herman, Program & Events Manager, 623-937-4754 or email aherman@glendaleazchamber.org.

GlendaleStar.com

Glendale pays tribute to those who serve

Residents packed the auditorium of Glendale’s Main Library early Monday morning to celebrate the city’s 17th annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony. Presented by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, Mayor Jerry Weiers and the city of Glendale, the event drew standing room only and featured speakers from three service branches, flag raisings and retirements, and a missing-man flyover.
​
Military & Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Turney introduced Mayor Weiers and keynote speakers Chief Master Sergeant Ronald Thompson, 56th Fighter Wing Command Chief, Luke Air Force Base as well as U.S. Navy Commander Mark Moran and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel David Clukey. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko was also in attendance and addressed District 8 constituents. 
 
“Today we shine the spotlight on family and our service members,” Weiers said. “This ceremony allows the community to come together and honor those who have served our country.”
 
“We stand before you on the shoulders of giants,” said Thompson. “Eighty percent of our service men and women come from the families of veterans,” Thompson estimates. “Family have the toughest job of all,” said Clukey. “Each of us have heard the call of duty and answered it,” Clukey said. “Today we honor every man and woman who ever wore the uniform,” added Moran. “We must remain committed to honoring service,” urged Moran.
 
Following the keynote addresses, the ceremony continued outside the auditorium to the Glendale Veterans Memorial with a special flag-raising ceremony by the Marine Corps League’s Old Breed Detachment No. 767. A POW/MIA and Arizona state flag was raised beside and below the American flag in the center of the city’s bronze memorial.
 
While the flag-raising feature is the focus of the annual event, this year the chamber unveiled its mobile U.S. flag retirement incinerator specifically designed to properly lay the American flag to rest. Civil Air Patrol Cadets readied and folded tattered flags and placed them atop of the preloaded incinerator. Mayor Weiers and Wayne Cole lit the air infused unit using flares and within minutes it reached more than 700 degrees.
 
Cole is an active member of the chamber and its Military & Veterans Affairs Committee. He also designed, built and donated the incinerator to the chamber. The project took nearly two years to complete and will be used routinely to properly dispose of flags gathered from throughout the city.
 
As smoke began to rise from the incinerator’s chimney, a small group of aircraft were spotted in the distance.  With a smoke-on, low level flyover, vintage aircraft from the Falcon Warbirds Foundation concluded the celebration departing in the distance in the missing man formation. 
 
“Veterans Day is an opportunity to realize how vital our freedom is to us and to thank all of the dedicated people who sacrificed so much for us to enjoy living in a free country,” stated Dr. Lily Matos DeBlieux, Glendale Chamber of Commerce Chair. “The Glendale Chamber gives honor to those who served and help us realize how important it is for us to commemorate this holiday each year.” 
 
For more information about the Glendale Chamber of Commerce or its Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, call Aubrie Herman, Program & Events Manager, 623-937-4754 or email aherman@glendaleazchamber.org. 
  
Cutlines:     
 
Chief Master Sergeant Ronald Thompson, 56th Fighter Wing Command Chief, Luke Air Force Base, addresses attendees of Glendale’s 17th Annual Veterans Day Ceremony November 11 at the Glendale Main Library. 
 
Members of the Marine Corps League’s Old Breed Detachment No 767 carry the American, Arizona and POW/MIA flags to be raised during the city’s Veterans Day Ceremony at the Glendale Veterans Memorial.
 
Marine Corps League Old Breed Detachment members ready the Arizona state flag to be raised during a special Veterans Day celebration at the Glendale Veterans Memorial.
 
District 8 Congresswomen Debbie Lesko addresses constituents during the unveiling of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military & Veterans Affairs Committee flag incinerator Nov. 11 during the city’s Veterans Day celebration. 
 
Mayor Jerry Weiers and Military & Veterans Affairs Committee member Wayne Cole light the new Glendale Chamber flag incinerator as a special feature to the Nov. 11 Veterans Day Ceremony. Cole designed, built and donated the incinerator to the chamber to properly lay worn and tattered flags to rest. ​

GlendaleDailyPlanet.com

​By Bette Sharpe – Glendale Daily Planet
​
Michael Murphy gets his beard trimmed by Philana. Rolf’s Solon sponsored the free hair- cuts. 
 
The smile on this veteran’s face tells the story of just how important a good-looking haircut is. Saturday was hair day at the, at Glendale Community College.

Glendale’s seventh annual "Stand Up for Veterans” held at Glendale Community College, 6000 W. Olive Ave., Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event offers multiple opportunities for veterans to access services tailored to their life experiences and needs, in a central location and has touched the lives of over 1,000 veterans since it began.


"I continue to be impressed with the success of this event, year over year. I am grateful the community continues to come together to assist our veterans and their families” said Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers who initiated the Glendale Stand Up event seven years ago.


Mayor Jerry P. Weiers along with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce’s Military & Veteran Affairs Committee (MVAC), actively coordinates and promotes the event. MVAC is a local committee that is made up of city, state and federal agencies, local businesses and nonprofit partners who organize and execute the events and initiatives that benefit veterans throughout the West Valley. The primary funding for the event was a grant from the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, administered by the Sandy Coor Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1433. With the full support of Glendale Community College and their willingness to accommodate the event, Veterans can receive a multitude of services in one centralized location.


A critical service available to veterans at the event is access to court and legal services. Glendale City Court Presiding Judge Elizabeth Finn will represent 23 Arizona municipal courts where veterans with criminal and civil cases may be able to satisfy outstanding court fines and fees by performing a community service work project. Veterans with active arrest warrants on criminal misdemeanors can have those warrants quashed. Judges from other Justice Courts in Maricopa County will also be present to offer similar opportunities to reduce or drop court fines through community service. Glendale’s Community Services Department supplied transportation from Glendale Community College to Historic Sahuaro Ranch Park, where the community work service project will take place.


"Someone with a suspended driver’s license is often prevented from securing appropriate employment. We can help change the dynamic by providing on-site community restitution benefiting the city of Glendale. Almost all the 23 city courts I represent, and the justice courts will honor our community service to eliminate fines allowing a person to obtain a driver’s license and hopefully a great job’//” said Judge Finn.


The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division was there Saturday to make recommendations to veterans about the requirements for reinstatement of their driving privileges and other MVD business. Additionally, Glendale’s Prosecutors Office and members of the State Bar of Arizona offered free consultations for civil matters while attorneys from the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office will be available for felony matters.


The Glendale Community College’s Veteran Services Center will be open during the event. The center provides veteran and military students and their families one-on-one help with enrolling in college and staying on the path of success. The VSC offers services including admissions, financial aid, advisement, career services, referrals and specific military-related resources.


"The annual Stand Up for Veterans is an important program and we are proud to partner with the city of Glendale. We are grateful for the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans which is why GCC is dedicated to serving those who have served us - through the Stand up for Veterans event, along with the assistance our Veterans Services Center provides, on a daily basis,” said Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz, President Glendale Community College.


According to a press release, at least 40 employers, presently hiring, would be on-site with representatives and interviewers and over 60 veterans service organizations were also available offering free information about their services. Veterans can apply for health care and other benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and social service agencies. The city of Glendale Community Action Program (CAP) was also in attendance as they regularly aid veterans in need. Nonprofit organizations often help with family and personal matters.


The always popular free haircuts for participants (and at least one beard trim) were courtesy of Rolfs Salon. Republic Services generously served lunch to all attendees in their trademark sanitation truck style barbecue grill.

YourValley.net
By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Associate Editor
​
In wraparound sunglasses, a twisted goatee and black leather vest, the burly Bernie Kendall looks like a big, tough dude.

​Until Robert “Tiny” Hogan rolls up.

Next to the hulking Hogan, tackle-sized, shave-headed, flowing Viking beard, Kendall almost looks like a high school kid.

On Saturday, Oct. 4, these two Harley-riding, vest-wearing members of the Veterans IV Veterans Motorcycle Association rallied up to Glendale.

They didn’t posse up at a bar, a greasy spoon or even a coffee joint.
They were hanging out at a rose garden.

It’s a healing thing.

Candy Sheperd was there at Glendale’s Sahuaro Ranch Park, helping bring her vision to reality, finally.

“Years ago, God put it on my heart that I need to start a healing garden for veterans,” said Sheperd.

Two decades ago, she and her husband Bill were founding members of the Rose Society of Glendale. They ran their healing garden idea up the flagpole with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Glendale Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, Glendale Parks and Recreation and Mayor Jerry Weiers. Everyone thought it was an idea that should fly.

So Candy Sheperd called Tyler Francis of Litchfield Park’s Francis Roses.

The rose guru of the West Valley came through, big time.

“He brought a bus with a crew of 52 people in December,” Candy Sheperd said.

“They planted 1,587 roses in four hours.”

The plants should be booming and blooming in the fall. But this is more than just an aesthetic boost for a Glendale park.

The team behind the garden invites veterans to come to the garden, especially at 9 every Saturday morning, when members of the associations will be on hand to guide newcomers and show them how to help prune, tidy and grow the garden.

Or leave them to enjoy the garden in solitude, as the case may be.

“A healing garden is a place where veterans can come and meditate, be with other like veterans,” Candy Sheperd said.

She notes that the suicide rate among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder is disturbingly high. And many veterans have a hard time “fitting in” when they leave the service.

“I wanted a place where they could meet, have a structured thing to do,” said Candy Sheperd. “They can come enjoy other veterans and have a mission.

“Being outdoors and gardening is healing.”

Tiny Hogan groaned at that.

“I joined the Army to get off the farm,” he growled, but with a grin.
Seriously, though, he’s not into gardening.

“I don’t like plants,” he said. “And they don’t like me.”

So what did he think when he heard about this healing rose garden?

“I was thinking I have a lot of people that would benefit from a place like this, where’s it’s a safe place,” he said.

He’s living proof you don’t have to be a rose buff to get something out of this garden.

“If they want to talk, they can. It’s a place to go. We have a lot of people that have a tough time leaving their houses,” said Hogan, a Desert Storm combat veteran who lives in Goodyear.

“There are days I don’t want to see nobody. Days I don’t like people.”

A few minutes later, Tiny Hogan had a rake in his hand and a smile on his face, as he helped prep the garden.

Kendall, a veteran of both the Army and Air Force who lives in Peoria, was crouched with a clipping tool in his hand.

“Combat veterans very often suffer from PTSD,” Kendall said. “With this garden, they can learn about roses, learn how to deadhead them, learn how to prune.

“It takes their mind off things. They can relax.”

Unlike his buddy Hogan, Kendall knows his way around a garden.

“I’ve always loved roses,” said Kendall.

Candy Sheperd believes that is what makes this place unique.

“There are a number of healing gardens around the country, but this will be the first one where roses are the primary focus,” she said.

“Most of the other healing gardens are vegetable gardens or plants.”

Though he’s not into most gardens, Hogan sized this one up and decided it was a good place to be.

“It’s kind of isolated,” he said. “It’s a comfortable place to come sit.

“It’s relaxing, to me.”

And he had an invitation for other veterans, who might struggle with the idea of being in a strange place around strangers:
​
“Just come and relax and watch.”

YourValley.net

The Glendale Chamber of Commerce hosts the following October events:

Business Over Breakfast 7-9 a.m. Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 at Dave & Buster’s, 9460 W. Hanna Drive.

Downtown Glendale Monthly Merchant and Stakeholder meeting 7:30-10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Off the Cuff, 5817 W. Glendale Ave.

Member Appreciation Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 at Gila River Areana – Vee Quiva, 15091 S. Komatke Lane.
​
Call 623-937-4754.

YourValley.net

GCC to host 7th Annual Stand Up for Veterans

Glendale’s seventh annual “Stand Up for Veterans” will take place 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Glendale Community College, 6000 W. Olive Ave.
​
This event is designed to provide opportunities for veterans to access services tailored to their life experiences and needs, in a central location, and has touched the lives of more than 1,000 veterans since its inception.

“I continue to be impressed with the success of this event, year over year. I am grateful the community continues to come together to assist our veterans and their families” Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers, who initiated the Glendale Stand Up event seven years ago, stated.

The Glendale Chamber of Commerce’s Military & Veteran Affairs Committee (MVAC), actively coordinates and promotes the event. MVAC is a local committee representing city, state and federal agencies, local businesses and nonprofit partners who organize and execute the events and initiatives that benefit veterans throughout the West Valley. The primary funding for the event is provided by a grant from the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and is administered by the Sandy Coor Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1433. With the full support of Glendale Community College and their willingness to accommodate the event, Veterans can receive a multitude of services in one centralized location.

A critical service available to veterans at the event is access to court and legal services. Glendale City Court Presiding Judge Elizabeth Finn will represent 23 Arizona municipal courts where veterans with criminal and civil cases may be able to satisfy outstanding court fines and fees by performing a community service work project. Veterans with active arrest warrants on criminal misdemeanors can have those warrants quashed. Judges representing many additional Justice Courts in Maricopa County will also be present to offer similar opportunities to reduce or eliminate court fines through community service. Glendale’s Community Services Department will provide transportation from Glendale Community College to Historic Sahuaro Ranch Park, where the community work service project will take place.

“Someone with a suspended driver’s license is often prevented from securing appropriate employment. We can help change the dynamic by providing on-site community restitution benefiting the city of Glendale,” Judge Finn stated. “Almost all the 23 city courts I represent, and the justice courts will honor our community service to eliminate fines allowing a person to obtain a driver’s license and hopefully a great job.”

The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division will also be present to advise Veterans of requirements for reinstatement of their driving privileges and other MVD business. Additionally, Glendale’s Prosecutors Office and members of the State Bar of Arizona will provide free consultations for civil matters while attorneys from the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office will be available for felony matters.

The Glendale Community College’s Veteran Services Center will be open during the event. The center provides Veteran and military students and their families one-on-one help with enrolling in college and staying on the path of success. The VSC offers services including admissions, financial aid, advisement, career services, referrals and specific military-related resources.

“The annual Stand Up for Veterans is an important program and we are proud to partner with the city of Glendale,” GCC president Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz stated. “We are grateful for the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans which is why GCC is dedicated to serving those who have served us – through the Stand up for Veterans event, along with the assistance our Veterans Services Center provides, on a daily basis.”

At least 40 employers, presently hiring, will be on-site with representatives and interviewers at the event and more than 60 Veterans Service Organizations will be on-site providing free information regarding services provided to Veterans. Veterans can apply for health care and other benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and social service agencies. The city of Glendale Community Action Program (CAP) will also be in attendance as they regularly assist veterans in need. Nonprofits will assist with family and personal matters.

Rolfs Salon will provide free haircuts to participants and Republic Services will be generously providing lunch to all attendees in their trademark sanitation truck style barbecue grill.

Visit GlendaleStandUp.org .

GlendaleStar.com
​
Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers, Vice Mayor Joyce Clark and Councilmen Ian Hugh and Ray Malnar publicly launched their 2020 reelection campaigns August 15 during a special reception hosted by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

The incumbents collectively chose this occasion to literally “throw their hat in the ring” before more than 100 select chamber members, local business owners and operators and Councilmen Bart Turner and Jamie Aldama.

Weiers is seeking his third consecutive term as mayor of Glendale, while Clark will pursue her sixth term of service in the Yucca District. Hugh will seek his third consecutive term representing the Cactus District, with Malnar running for his second four-year term in the Sahuaro District.

This is the second election cycle for the foursome to run on the same ticket. All four candidates are considered friends of the chamber.

While there are no official challengers identified at this point in time, campaign packets are now available through the Glendale City Clerk’s Office. To schedule an appointment and obtain a campaign packet, call 623-930-2252 and select option 1.

The primary election for mayor, as well as the Cactus, Sahuaro and Yucca council seats is Tuesday, August 4, 2020. The general election is set for Tuesday, November 3, 2020, if necessary. Any candidate who receives more than 50% plus one vote in the primary election will be declared the winner.
​
For more information about running for city office or to register to vote, call the Glendale City Clerk’s Office at 623-930-2252, option 1, or email cityclerk@glendaleaz.com.

YourValley.net​

Glendale Chamber of Commerce CEO Robert Heidt and past board chair Maria Brunner attended June 21 the 25th Anniversary of Gila River Hotels & Casinos bringing entertainment to the Valley.
​
The luncheon was hosted at Wildhorse Pass Casino and featured several great speakers, including Governor of the Gila River Indian Community Stephen Roe Lewis, Derrick Hall of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Nick Khin of International Game Technology and Shelia Morago.

YourValley.net

The Glendale Chamber of Commerce recognized Karrie Blum, of Realty One Group, as its Ambassador of the Month for May.
​
Chamber ambassadors work to help integrate new members into the community, help them understand the benefits and resources available to them as Glendale chamber members, and connect them to the Glendale Chamber staff team.

Call 623-937-4754 or visit www.glendaleazchamber.org.

YourValley.net

Join the Glendale Chamber of Commerce for FUEL, a monthly networking breakfast 7-9 a.m. Friday, June 7 at Off the Cuff, 5819 W. Glendale Ave.
​
This event will showcase a featured speaker and an opportunity for all members in attendance to introduce their company and/or products and services. The event closes out with a raffle, which includes a 50/50 raffle where the winner wins half and the charity of choice for the month gets the other half.

​Call 623-937-4754.

Glendale Star

The Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military & Veterans Affairs Committee has partnered with Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers to host the 2019 Military Induction Ceremony.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Calvary Community Church, 6060 W. Bell Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the free, public event.
​
Officials from the U.S. Armed Services and local organizations will salute the enlistment decision made by local high school students to join the military.

By Mark Carlisle
Independent Newsmedia
​
Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers will give his annual State of the City address Thursday night at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa, 9495 W. Coyotes Blvd.

The event, hosted by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. A cocktail reception will be held 5:30-6:30 p.m. and the dinner and program will begin at 6:30 p.m.

By Darrell Jackson
Glendale Star 
​
Two years after taking the job of downtown development director, Katy Engels is continuing her success of bringing local businesses together.

“The first half of my first year on the job was challenging in the sense of learning the politics that went along with the position,” Engels said.

“I expected there to be some challenges with this being a new contract for the city and with me being new to the community. There are a lot of passionate merchants and stakeholders that embraced me and my position while others felt my position wasn’t needed or wanted.”

The second half of the first year, she worked hard to improve communication and build subcommittees to understand downtown area’s needs.

“I believe we are taking the right steps to help make downtown a more economically sustainable downtown,” Engels said.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to meet everyone and finding out their wants, needs and visions. I believe the toughest part of my job is not being able to give everyone everything they want or what they feel they deserve.”

Engels joined the Glendale Chamber of Commerce after being executive director of the Waterford, Wisconsin, Chamber of Commerce. In Wisconsin, she worked directly with the community’s small, independent merchants, as well as local and regional economic development and tourism agencies to assist with revitalization efforts.

Glendale City Council voted unanimously in 2017 to approve a five-year contract for $610,510 for the creation of a new downtown manager position that would fall under the supervision of Glendale Chamber of Commerce in a public-private partnership.

As she begins her third year on the job, Engels points to three issues she will focus on trying to improve in the downtown area. The first is working with the strategic leadership advisory group to move downtown forward with branding efforts. That will make it a vibrant and thriving area for shopping, dining and entertainment, she said.

“Also, I’d like to work with merchants and the city to develop brand cohesiveness and jointly promote Experience Downtown Glendale to help bring more people to downtown Glendale for experiential experiences,” she said.

“I will also work with the city’s economic development office and develop a listing of available spaces/property for sale or lease and share this on the downtown website so potential property owners/merchants can see what is available at any given time. The Safety and Beautification Advisory groups are championing this effort to help reduce the number of vacant storefronts.”

Glendale Chamber of Commerce recently reported to councilmembers that Engels had fulfilled the first-year deliverables as required and has accomplished additional achievements for the greater benefit of downtown.

Glendale Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Robert Heidt pointed to the success of data collection and getting businesses together in discussions at numerous meetings.

“Part of what (Engels) has done is to provide useful knowledge on how to grow downtown businesses,” Heidt said. “We provided meetings for business owners to grow their business through social media and the point is to give those businesses instant knowledge to put into place to make them better.”

Engels said she also hopes to get more promotion from outside downtown to help improve foot traffic to the area.

“I see more outside promoters hosting their events in downtown Glendale; more visitors, new businesses opening their doors, and the downtown community continuing to be collectively engaged,” Engels said.

However, she cites improving communication among city staff, business owners and the chamber as her greatest success.

“I believe this first year’s success is getting into place an organization of like-minded people that wasn’t there a year prior. Communication has been key in making this happen,” Engels said.
​
“The downtown businesses and stakeholders meet monthly and advisory groups have been formed from these meetings, i.e., Strategic Leadership Advisory Group, Safety and Beautification Advisory Group, Signature Events Advisory Group, and Events Advisory Group, all specific to downtown issues and needs.”

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By Mark Carlisle
Independent Newsmedia

Just over a year ago, Valley vegans would have given little thought to downtown Glendale when looking for a place to eat. Now, it’s at or near the top of their list.

Sandra McKee“There’s nothing happening out here. There was no vegan options, no vegan restaurants, no vegan anything. So, we really wanted to go where we were needed most,” said Sandre McKee, owner of Arizona’s first all-vegan grocery store Veggie Rebellion, which celebrates its one-year anniversary in downtown Glendale this weekend.

In the year since Veggie Rebellion opened, two other all-vegan businesses have joined downtown Glendale, all within two block of each other. Mi Vegana Madre, a vegan Mexican restaurant, opened in July and Casa Terra, Arizona’s first fine dining vegan restaurant, opens Monday.
“That kind of kickstarted the whole movement down here,” said Zach Willikens, front of house manager at downtown Glendale’s Cuff restaurant.

In addition to the three all-vegan eateries, several restaurants have added or expanded vegan options since Veggie Rebellion opened. Mr. Willikens, a vegetarian and on-and-off vegan, said Cuff has always had a few options but didn’t expand the menu until around the time Veggie Rebellion opened.

“It was always a priority of ours to expand our vegan options, but once we had the clientele in front of us, it pushed us to go a lot faster,” he said.

In a year, downtown Glendale has gone from irrelevant on the vegan scene to a destination.

Chef Jason Wyrick stands by his wood-fired pizza oven at his restaurant Casa Terra in Glendale, Arizona’s first vegan fine dining restaurant. [Ed Sharpe/Special to Independent Newsmedia]
“If I was the only vegan place here, I just happen to be a vegan place in downtown Glendale,” said Chef Jason Wyrick, owner of Casa Terra. “But now when I mention it, people are like, ‘Oh, downtown Glendale is becoming this vegan hotspot.’”

Both Mr. Wyrick and Ms. McKee said what drew them to Glendale is the lack of vegan options in the West Valley. Mr. Wyrick said Valley’s vegan population is “horribly underserved.”

Katy Engels, downtown manager for the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, said the same thing.
“It’s not here on the West Valley. The vegans just don’t have the options. And so now, they’re coming from all over,” she said.

Mr. Willikens has witnessed that expanded customer based coming into Cuff since it added more vegan options, including an Impossible Burger, jackfruit sandwiches and tacos and Street corn.

“We have a whole new demographic that we didn’t use to have coming into the restaurant,” he said. “…I see people coming from all over the Valley now—Scottsdale, Tempe, Phoenix. When they used to all go down to Tempe, Phoenix, now some of those people are coming our way.”

​Not everything has come easily during Glendale’s vegan boom. Ms. McKee said the summer was “terrible” for Veggie Rebellion and the Christmas season fell below expectations too. With tons of media attention, Veggie Rebellion had a huge opening weekend last February, making $6,000 in the first day, Ms. McKee said.
She new the initial excitement would wear off though. Now, Veggie Rebellion has transitioned from trying to be a one-stop shop to focusing on hard-to-find and specialty items. Veggie Rebellion now has a core group of around 25 regulars and many other customers who stop in after getting a vegan meal in downtown.
“We sort of inadvertently ended up on the downtown Glendale vegan food tour,” Ms. McKee said.
Veggie Rebellion sparked that tour, said Mr. Willikens and Mr. Wyrick.
In addition to Cuff, downtown restaurants that have added vegan option recently include Haus Murphy’s, Moe’s Old Fashioned Burgers, A Shot of Java, Nomadic Ice Cream Rolls and Tangled Root Botanicals, which sells vegan tea and vegan body care products.
“I don’t think that would have happened if there wasn’t a burgeoning vegan culture in downtown Glendale,” Mr. Wyrick said of restaurants adding or expanding vegan options.



Sweet potato tamal (tamale), pibil oyster mushrooms, pipian verde (green pumpkin seeds) nopales (fleshy leaves of a prickly pear cactus), and rajas (strips of peppers) from Casa Terra. [Bette Sharpe/Special to Independent Newsmedia]
Mr. Wyrick started a vegan catering company in 2004 and a vegan delivery service in 2006. He co-wrote the New York Times best-selling book “21 Day Weightloss Kickstart” and founded the world’s first Vegan food magazine, The Vegan Culinary Experience, and has traveled around the world teaching cooking classes. Last year he moved his delivery service, The Vegan Taste, from a temporary kitchen in Surprise to permanent kitchen in downtown Glendale. It will continue its delivery after Casa Terra opens.
​
Mr. Wyrick said he felt like opening a restaurant was the next step needed in his career.

“I was kind of tired of the Valley not having a vegan fine dining spot. People have been asking me to do that for years,” he said.

Glendale was ranked by WalletHub as the 43rd most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly city in the U.S. It’s not the highest rank in Arizona though. Scottsdale is ranked eighth and Phoenix is 14th.
The new vegan niche has begun to change the culture of downtown.

“It’s just been all good stuff to see the atmosphere of the whole town changing,” said Mr. Willikens. “Any sort of change is kind of good for downtown Glendale right now, because it’s been kind of stuck in its ways a long time. So, we’re embracing change and a lot of the other businesses around here are embracing change as well because of this new revolution.”

City Manager Kevin Phelps is glad to see the vegan additions.

“I think that’s cool. I always say, I think you have to learn to differentiate yourself,” Mr. Phelps said.
Downtown needs more alignment in its offerings, Mr. Phelps said.

“You look at your restaurants and your specialty kinds of stores,” he said. “You look at who’s your demographic you can attract and then you cluster those together. And again, I would say that’s what our problem is.”

Mr. Phelps noted that downtown is a hodgepodge of antique stores, gift stores, a psychic reader, restaurants and other eateries.

Ms. McKee was inspired to open Veggie Rebellion after visiting a vegan grocery store called Food Fight! while on a family trip in Portland, Oregon. She said she did extensive research before opening in Glendale, but every market and store is different and comes with its own challenges.

“You know, it’s hard being a trailblazer,” Ms. Mckee said with a laugh. “But at the same time I’m glad that we can help kind of make Glendale viable to be a vegan hotspot. And I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to be one of those first to open up.”

Mr. Wyrick wants his restaurant to fill the West Valley’s need for vegan options, but its need for quality cuisine in general.

“I think the West Valley is underserved not just in the vegan market but also in having really great restaurants. We’re always an afterthought, and I think that needs to change, and I’m hoping to be part of that change,” he said.
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Editor’s note: Ed and Bette Sharpe photograph and write for GlendaleDailyPlanet.com.

By Darrell Jackson, Glendale Star 

The Glendale City Council was updated on the successes of the downtown manager’s first year by Chamber President and CEO Robert Heidt.

Katy Engels’ official title is director of downtown development, but it is more casually referred to as downtown manager.

“First-year deliverables was the introduction of (Engels) and boots on the ground with the property owners and stakeholders in downtown,” Heidt said.

“We also generated data to improve communications with the downtown merchants.”
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Councilmembers consider the downtown area “the heart of any community. To create and support a vibrant city center, and to support the businesses located in Downtown Glendale.”

By Mark Carlisle, YourValley.net
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If Glendale’s going to spend money on its downtown, it should spend it smarter.

That’s the view of City Manager Kevin Phelps. One way the city has tried to so is hire the Glendale Chamber of Commerce as downtown manager, a venture that Mr. Phelps and City Council both say has gone well through its first year and a half.

By Connor Dziawura, Glendale Star

Hello, readers! Welcome back to Business Briefcase! I’m glad to be back with the second week of the column where we discuss all the great happenings in the city, from construction to new or closed businesses, as well as business-centric events that serve networking purposes.

By YourValley.net
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The Glendale Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday four new members were elected to its board of directors.

The board of directors is the policy body of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. Its members represent a cross-section of the business and professional leadership in the community. The board performs the legislative function for the organization. That is, it makes policy decisions for the Chamber.
New members:

• Ron Castro, BNC National Bank
• Michael Nelson, APS
• Jeff Overton, Camelback Ranch-Glendale
• Marko Zelenovic, Wells Fargo

The Chamber’s 2019 Executive Committee consists of:

• Dr. Lily DeBlieux, Chair of the Board, Pendergast Elementary School District
• Bill Toops, Chair Elect, The Glendale Star/Pueblo Publishers
• Scott Spillman, Treasurer, BNC National Bank
• Ron Castro, Vice-Treasurer, BNC National Bank
• Maria Brunner, Past Chair, OneAZ Credit Union
• Robert Heidt, President & CEO, Glendale Chamber of Commerce

Previously elected individuals who will continue to serve on the board of directors in 2019 are:

• Victoria Coley, Humana
• Jean Higginbotham, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
• Stephanie Klingener, Vital Fit Training
• Kate Kochenderfer, SRP
• Wayne Lawson, Signarama on 51st Avenue
• Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz, Glendale Community College
• Bobbi Magdaleno, Arizona State University
• Jerry Weiers, Mayor, City of Glendale
• Kevin Phelps, City Manager, City of Glendale
• Mary Pritchard, Pritchard Insurance Group, Inc
• Richard Sherry, Dignity Health Arizona
• Dr. Jeff Turney, Glendale Chamber Military & Veterans Affairs Committee
• Lynda Vescio, Law Offices of Vescio & Seifert, P.C.
• Judy Walter, Dignity Memorial

Dr. Lily DeBlieux will publicly take the reins as the 2019 Chair of the Board at the Chamber’s 68th State of the City Address and Annual Dinner Thursday, March 7 at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa, 9495 W. Coyotes Blvd., Glendale.
For more information or to register for the State of the City Address and Dinner, click here.

By YourValley.net

The 38th Annual Luke Shoot-Out Golf Outing starts with a 6:30 a.m. check-in followed by a 7:30 shotgun start Friday, April 5 at Falcon Dunes Golf Course, 15100 W. Northern Ave., Waddell.
The event directly benefits the work of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, allowing them to continue to positively impact service men and women in the local community.

The golf outing features:
• Four-person scramble, three flights
• Four hole-in-one contests for prizes
• Four closest to the pin contests
• Putting contest
• Proximity challenge hole
Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Call 623-937-4754 or email info@glendaleazchamber.org .

By The Glendale Star
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The West Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance (WVCCA), composed of the six West Valley Chambers, has partnered with Fennemore Craig to represent the collective interests of businesses in the West Valley on public policy issues.

By The City of Glendale 

Mayor Jerry P. Weiers is hosting a Community Blood Drive on Wed., January 9, 2019 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Glendale Civic Center Annex building. “My goal is for this to be the largest blood drive ever in Glendale with over 500 donors.” said Mayor Jerry P. Weiers.
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 Vitalant, formerly known as United Blood Services, along with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Glendale’s Employee Wellness Committee and AZ Catering are supporting the Mayor’s first year event to help build up the blood bank reserves when they typically see the highest need and lowest donations. 

By AZ BIG MEDIA
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The West Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance (WVCCA), composed of the six West Valley Chambers, has partnered with Fennemore Craig to represent the collective interests of businesses in the West Valley on public policy issues.
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A crucial part of a Chamber of Commerce’s role in the business community is advocating for pro-business policies. In 2019, to increase the Chambers are committed to enhanced effectiveness of advocacy for issues that impact West Valley businesses, the Chamber CEO’s and Fennemore Craig will be attending meetings with legislators and lobbying to champion the issues that are important to the West Valley.